The Prince's Bride
by aphraelsky
Summary: Koenma and Botan fic--Koenma is about to be crowned king, but he suddenly finds himself engaged to a beautiful princess from a distant land. What does the journey to claimher hold for the gang, and what mysteries are about to be revealed?
1. Default Chapter

A/N: Hello, minna-san!!! This is Kristine-chan. I hope you like this fanfic. This is my 1st time to write anything like this (I usually stick to drawing), so I hope you like it! :  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Yu Yu Hakusho. I'm just a rabid fan who loves the Koenma-Botan pair. (KoBo forever!!!!!!!!!!). Don't sue, K?  
The Prince's Bride  
  
By Kristine-chan  
  
Prologue  
  
Excerpt from Legends of the Worlds: The Meikai Saga, chapter I  
  
[Compiled from various documents of the four realms by Her Highness the Royal Daughter Aisha-Hime in the Reign of Queen Shiroi and Prince Consort Ryu]  
  
The Meikai and the Reikai are old worlds, full of magic and tales of olden gods and spirits that had gone to their place. Of all these stories, none has lasted as long as that of the Tokugawa and Akimaru wars: its beginnings, outcome, and its questionable end.  
  
Many years ago, the Meikai and the Reikai were at peace with each other, guarding the Makai and Ningenkai respectively. Their rulers, from the Akihiko and Tokugawa families, never lacked able rulers who strove for the good of their peoples. The Akihiko dynasty of the Meikai ruled a powerful but peaceful people from the spirits of demons from the equally peaceable Makai, or the demon realm. Meanwhile, the Tokugawa dynasty, known as masters in administration, ruled over the spirits of the dead humans of Ningenkai and various other spirits and deities with varying power levels. The relation of the two realms went so well that a great unknown seer foretold a union of love between the two houses. From this, she proclaimed, would come a powerful line of rulers. For this reason, both families decreed that no power in all the worlds should be allowed to hinder a union between the two families, if love, pure and shared, be the reason of the union.  
  
But more than ten thousand years ago, an evil king was raised to the throne of Meikai through a bloody coup that claimed the lives of almost half the population of the land. The great Akihiko clan was believed to have been wiped out, powerless in the face of the cruel tyrant's minions- rebel demons from the deepest corners of Makai. So it was that in the Meikai's third millenium, the tyrant ruler Akimaru Takeshi came to the throne. His reign was one of turmoil and anarchy, for, his bloodlust still unsatisfied with the sacrifice of so many lives, he did turn his violence upon his own people. As a drowning man fights the elements themselves to save his life, so did the gentle people of Meikai learn to fight for their mere living. In the end they became almost as corrupt and vile as their new lord, whom they hated and feared with a passion.  
  
He watched all of this with secret exultation and an evil plan forming in his mind. For, as his lust for power was deep as that for blood, he now wanted the power that would be his if he conquered the realm of Reikai. He mobilized his forces and prepared to conquer in the second year of his reign. Reikai's ruler then, Tokugawa Kaji, was sorely troubled. He wanted to avenge the Akihiko clan, but he was worried lest his forces be defeated also by the terrible army of Takeshi. But he steeled his and his people's hearts and brought in the assistance of humans and powerful Ningenkai- dwellers like the faeries and magicians.  
  
So the war began on the south Plains of Azuma near the Great Snake road. Both armies fought hard and grimly. But after a hundred and fifty years, the battle was still nowhere near its end, though millions of prayers were said everyday to the other gods, asking them to intervene and stop the warring realms.  
  
It was about this time that the great Daioh Hajime, the successor of his uncle Tokugawa Kenchi, came to the throne and brought the war to its end with the aid of his friend, Kage the great, a warrior of mysterious origins. With help from Kage, Hajime silenced the complaints of some insolent nobles who dared question his succession, for he had claim to the throne through his mother, the sole sibling of Kenchi. Morever, he ascended to the throne in haste, and was not immediately proclaimed the next ruler. He proved his abilities when, with the help of Kage, who he made the general of his vast army, he finally drove off the enemies from Reikai. In a stroke of genius, he also forced Takeshi's general, who represented him in affairs of state, to sign a powerful binding contract that gave up Makai to Reikai's rulers, to save it from further corruption and also to lessen the tyrant's most dangerous allies. Needless to say, Takeshi was enraged and ended his general's life, but he could do little to regain his claim. He and his weakened army returned to the Meikai. Hajime, however, returned with all honors to the royal palace. He was unable to pursue his enemies and claim the Meikai because his army, even with Kage's exceptional leadership, had also suffered major casualties. So he returned home to arrange his declaration as the emperor of Reikai, Makai and the Ningenkai.  
  
Instead of being declared the fifty-first emperor of the Tokugawa dynasty, however, he became the first emperor of the Daioh dynasty, even if he and his wife had Tokugawa blood. He then set about returning peace to the three worlds in which chaos reigned for a hundred and thirty years. Kage the great warrior was also honored and given vast lands. Strangely, he disappeared from court after less than a year, leaving a 'demon necklace' - a beautiful charm with an alien power said to be accursed, whom no one was allowed to touch. Ot was kept in the deepest vaults of the Reikai, until it disappeared mysteriously in the reign of the fifth emperor of the Daioh clan, Gendo Daioh .  
  
Things were fairly chaotic for hundreds, even thousands of years, until the seventh emperor of the Daioh dynasty (and possibly the greatest), Koenma, Hajime's great-grandson, finally sealed the entrance of the Makai. Many had then forgotten the existence of the Meikai and its rulers. Things remained peaceful, until Koenma's eight hundredth birthday. It is vital to mention the Reikai's tradition of crowning the heir to the throne in his eight hundredth year. It is also important to mention in passing a prophecy of the seer Aoshi that a great good and a great evil will arise in Koenma's reign. What happened then can be ascertained in the next chapter of the Meikai saga. 


	2. chapter1News

Hi again! I don't own yu yu hakusho, but I love Koenma and Botan. R& R, pls!!  
Chapter I News  
  
The royal palace was teeming with activity, and half-hung drapes lay on the floor or hung haphazardly on pillars, signaling louder than words that something grand was up. The onis as well as the other servants were scurrying to and fro, arranging decorations, beddings or flowers instead of the usual paperwork for the prince. And, instead of escorting the dead from Ningenkai, many of the ferrygirls were escorting richly, even weirdly dressed nobles to their rooms in the vast palace. It was a very busy time for them all, but it passed merrily enough, since even if all their limbs were occupied, they could indulge in their favorite pastime-gossiping.  
  
"Oh, I guess this is about done," a woman in a kimono said as she finished arranging roses near the entrance hall. She had a matronly figure, though she was still pretty with her mahogany locks and dimpled smiles.  
  
"Ooh, that's beautiful, Hina-san! Absolutely gorgeous! How do you do it?" a young girl with brown hair and eyes gushed, while trying to arrange some tulips without much success. "I can't even get mine to bend right!"  
  
"That's because you don't pay much attention to what you want it to look like, Ume," another woman with green hair and limpid grey eyes commented wryly. She was also arranging flowers, but with more skill than the young girl.  
  
"Oh.. okay. I'll keep that in mind." Ume replied. Her eyes brightened as she remembered something. "Hey, have you seen Lord Koenma lately? He looks so handsome!" she swoons. The others smiled.  
  
"Yes, he does, especially since he lost that awful pacifier and the baby look He's really ready to grow up-hand me the scissors, please, Sango- san," Hina replied. She reached for the scissors, adding, "they run the system well, the prince and Botan. It's amazing how well he turned out. I didn't think he would straighten out; he was so bratty before."  
  
Ume giggled. "It's miraculous, really. His nurse told me once how she'd love to spank him, only she'd get in trouble with Lord Enma Her name's old Yumina, I think, before she was sent back to Ningenkai"  
The green-haired woman nodded. "Hai. He just needed a playmate, since we were all either too young or too old for him to play with. It's good that Botan came here when she did. They grew up together, you know." She cut a few stems and frowned thoughtfully. "It seems a bit strange, even.I remember her coming from Ningenkai, but now she's still alive and young. You know imports rarely stay even five hundred years before they leave and they're pretty old by then."  
  
"Must be something in her blood," Hina replied carelessly. "Maybe she had a youkai ancestor or something. Anyway, we all love her-even Lord Enma does-and I don't mind if she's head ferrygirl. She works the hardest of us all, I admit-there, I'll just tie the ribbon here-cause if anything, I pity her for all the work."  
  
"Yeah. I don't know how she juggles being head ferrygirl and prince's assistant Must be tough, though she doesn't complain."  
  
. "Actually, there's an old tale Yuri used to tell before she left," Hina reminisced while she grabbed another vase. "She said she saw Botan flying one day-though you know she didn't learn how to fly without an oar. The strange thing was, she had on wings like the ones Ningens imagine on angels."  
  
"You mean like the birds?" Sango joked. She raised her eyebrows when the girl nodded. "Poor Yuri. She had been allowed to grow too old. "  
  
"Hey, d'ya think there's any truth to the gossip about Koenma and Botan? " Ume piped up suddenly. At this point, Botan appeared, walking in their direction..  
  
She was still smiling although her feet ached from having escorted too many nobles to their rooms. Her eyes softened as she remembered that this was all for Koenma, and how happy he would be, like they both were before, when they celebrated his birthdays. She was the only kid in Reikai then who was not too old or too young to be the prince's playmate And she didn't think Enma really minded their unruliness, though the rest of Reikai was horrified, especially once, when they appeared coated with pie in the drawing-room. So much had changed since then, but she still treasured Koenma's friendship. She hoped Koenma would be pleased, though. It would be his last before he was officially crowned the ruler of Reikai.  
  
She paused for a moment, feeling faint. 'There it is again,' she thought. Of late, she had been experiencing unaccounted for moments of dizziness that passed quickly enough. The strange part was, instead of feeling weak after these spells, she felt more energized. She thought nothing of it, since she was pretty busy, and just welcomed the extra strength for the hectic times.  
  
"Hi, guys!" she exclaimed, seeing Hime, Ume and Sango arranging flowers. "You're all looking well today. Almost done?"  
  
"Oh, not quite, Botan-chan. We have dozens of flowers to fix still. Thanks for asking, though," Ume said, smiling in her relief. Apparently, Botan hadn't heard what she had said earlier.  
  
" Thanks. Hey, good luck. I also have to escort some more 'honored guests' to their rooms."  
  
"Have you seen many good-looking lords?" Hina asked with a dreamy smile.  
  
Botan grinned. "Yup, but you wouldn't be interested, Hina. Their attitudes don't match their looks in the slightest!"  
  
"Then we don't envy you," Sango said resignedly while skillfully doing her job.  
  
"Poor Botan-chan! Haven't you had enough of that from our dear prince? Ume asked then, feigning sympathy.  
  
Botan frowned. "Oh, Prince Koenma isn't all that bad," she answered "Actually, he's kind in a way, and very overworked-you really ought to see the stacks of documents the onis carry everyday."  
  
"Yup. Poor Koenma. But he's certainly very, very handsome, don't you think?" she asked slyly, her eyes shining with a wicked glint. She had always wanted to know what was between the two "friends."  
  
" Really?" Botan answered, feigning disbelief. " I didn't notice. Well-you won't get me to add anything to palace gossip, Ume-chan," she continued, with a laugh and the faintest hint of a blush, seeing through her friend's questions. She was so very used to this in the five hundred or so years that the whole palace speculated what was going on between the prince and his beautiful ferrygirl and (only personal female) assistant.  
  
"What?" Ume just said innocently. ' Darn'.  
  
"Never mind," Sango grinned..  
  
Suddenly, Botan felt a jolt of some sort of power. "Servant, we have need of you service," a male voice suddenly said haughtily behind Botan. She turned to behold two elaborately dressed men, one older than the other, and their servant oni who was carrying something. Both would've been handsome if not for their identical cold green eyes and hooked noses.  
  
She groaned inwardly. 'Not again!' She thought. Aloud, she said, "Yes, my Lords? Welcome to the Royal Palace, what can I do for you?" with a bow and a smile while the others bowed as well, and continued their work.  
  
"Take us to see Enma Daioh. You must escort us to him immediately," the younger one said, leering at her. Their clothes, she saw, had the crest of the house of Ito at Linae, one of the most powerful families inside Reikai.  
  
"At once, great lords. Please follow me, " she said, bowing again and leading them away, She waved and mouthing soundlessly, "see what I mean?" to her friends, who were left hiding grins.  
  
+++++++++ (An hour later.)  
  
"Koenma-sama! Koenma-sama, wait!" Botan gasped out as she ran after her boss. It had been quite a while since she had escorted the envoys of Linae to the emperor and was made to wait outside the throne room as they conversed. Now here she was, running to catch up with the prince, with a massage from his formidable sire. Nowadays, he was pretty hard to find. He had temporarily turned in (with obvious relief) his paperwork to the secretaries, so he was not often in his office, in which he had almost taken root before.  
  
He sighed and turned around. 'This had better be good,' he thought, a bit tired and irritable from perusing a whole library of the realms' histories foisted on him by his sire. 'Someday, ' he thought rebelliously, 'I'm gonna order someone to bloody write all that in one book or two.' She was still some feet away from him, and they were alone in the vast corridor leading to his rooms. " What is it, Botan?" he asked.  
  
"Gomen, but it's a message from your father."  
  
Koenma took the time to examine her as she approached. "She's looking very well," he thought, looking appreciatively at her slender figure. He would have scorned to admit it, but he agreed with the other inhabitants of the palace that Botan had become more beautiful since her vacation in Ningenkai. It was not that she wasn't beautiful before, but her hair had grown and become glossier, her eyes had darkened to a beautiful red-violet and her features had become more mature. He also noticed that her ki had gotten more powerful. 'She must've been training with Yusuke and the others,' he thought, with a momentary pang of envy and something else as he remembered the two-week vacation she had just gotten from only a few days before. That he missed her was also something the proud prince would also scorn to admit.  
  
"Here, " she handed him a piece of paper. "Koenma-sama, You've finally gotten the hang of being older; at least you walk fast now, " she commented cheerfully. Before announcing that his son would celebrate his eight hundredth birthday, Enma had forbidden him to return to his child-form, since nobody really expects to take a ruler with a toddler's form seriously. Of course, he had also gotten rid of his fuumakan, and instead wore golden cuffs on his wrists to store ki. It would have worked very well, except for the sizable number of infatuated ferrygirls and various female deities that were suddenly interested in following him around (he is a handsome bishounen, after all!), to Botan's shock. She thought it fortunate that she was above that, even if some of her charges were not, though she felt unusually irritated when he flirted with his newfound followers At first, he gloried in the attention, but he soon grew tired and resumed his grumpy attitude to throw them off.  
  
"Yeah, right," he scoffed. He was unable to keep a slight grin from his face, though, and she found herself thinking the girls were right-he was really very handsome. " Have to, with all the reading, y'know. Helps me get books faster." He groaned "I'll never be able to look another book in the face again!"  
  
"Nah, you'll still have to later," she said unsympathetically. "Best get used to it now." The brown-haired prince scowled. "Nice little ray of sunshine, aren't you?"  
  
"Thank you," she smirked, and saluted him sarcastically. Her expression turned into a frown as she looked at him closely. "You haven't been eating- or sleeping right. Look at your eyebags!" she exclaimed, prodding his face with a finger.  
  
" Ow! Cut it out, Botan!" he exclaimed, backing away from her. " I had plenty of work to do, and besides," his voice took on a playful note, "I missed stamping papers pretty badly so I volunteered doing extra work."  
  
She groaned and playfully punched his arm." Koenma-sama! Be serious, already!" she admonished him, then her voice became more serious. " I *told* you to take a break! I know it's your free time so you don't have to do too much work now. Jeez, just take a break, and read or something!""  
  
"Yeah, I know, but still." He stopped Botan's fist which came rushing in again. "Whoa! Actually, father asked me to run little errands for him." He smiled wryly. " I was too kind to refuse. Anyway, I'm giving a message to Aoshi-his counselor, you know, jolly man with white hair. And besides, I don't wanna read my eyes out in my free time!" There was a whiny edge to his voice that she couldn't miss.  
  
"Spit it out, your majesty, " she sighed,rolling her eyes and feigning annoyance. Actually, she was pleased at what she knew he'd say.  
  
"Well, since you ask so nicely." He paused, then asked, Would you come to Ningenkai with me and do something-anything? It's pretty boring to read history all day, you know."  
  
"Hey, it's educational for you, and very useful, like your father said," she chided. She rather liked the gruff, overlarge king of the dead, though he *had* spanked Koenma a couple of times, and felt the need to justify the unreasonably heavy work he *sometimes* gave his son. "Okay," she agreed, " but on my break before sunset. I still have a lot of work to do now." Brightening, she continued, "Hey, we could watch the flower festival in Yuusuke's school."  
  
He frowned. "Yuusuke's school? How did you know?" And how come she seemed so close to him that she would know such trivial matters?  
  
"Oh," she shrugged. "Keiko mentioned it to me after she bopped Yuusuke on the head last week. She also said to bring a friend, so I guess you count."  
  
"Oh, really?" he said with obvious sarcasm, but feeling a small twinge of relief. "We can go there if you want.so meet me at the gate when you get off?"  
  
She nodded. "Sure. Well, gotta go!" She started to walk back to the main halls.  
  
"Thanks," he said. "Ja ne! Don't let me wait too long!"  
  
"Hai. Of course I won't!" she said, sounding both indignant and defensive. It was obvious he remembered how late she was the last meeting with the former Tantei. " Ja ne, Koenma-sama!" she called as she disappeared.  
  
Remembering his father's note, he quickly opened it and scanned the contents. The smile in his hazel-gild eyes when Botan left wavered, to be replaced with a hint of unease.  
  
My son: Go to my quarters immediately. Some visitors came and they want to meet you. Dress up and pay attention to the hair. MIND WHAT I SAY, BOY.  
  
Enma  
  
Always neat, he put the paper in his pocket and proceeded to do as his father ordered. He scowled, a little suspicious about these "visitors". 


	3. chapterIISurprises

A/N: Hi, people!!! here's the next chapter. I had it made with the first two, but I had to add some things first. Thanks to those who reviewed.I really appreciate it!!  
Chapter II: Surprises  
  
Enma sighed for the hundredth time, and leaned his huge frame on the balcony's railing. Actually, it was an unfinished marble wall decorated with hollowed-out designs. He had often wondered how the marble frame held and why it managed to support his thousand-or so pounds while it was clearly none too safe.  
  
"Ahem, Enma-sama," a whiny voice interrupted his rambling thoughts. He turned to face the green-eyed old man who was obviously fawning over him.  
  
"Hai?" he said in his scariest voice. This person irritated him somehow. Pity he was old, and an envoy from Linae to boot.  
  
The envoy quailed and continued, "...W-well, your Majesty, as we were saying, Earl Faust of Linae, my cousin, sends you and the prince his warmest greetings and his congratulations for the coming of age of the great prince. He also sends his apologies for not being able to attend the grand celebrations tomorrow and-"  
  
"Yes, you've been saying that since you got here, Now, what do you really want?" he cut in unceremoniously.  
  
"Excuse me, Your Majesty, but as my father was about to say," the younger man interjected smoothly, the earl is greatly pleased that the prince is to be crowned at last. However, it brings to mind another matter, in which the family of the earl is concerned, and of which he asked us to remind you." His manners were cultured, though his eyes were cold and expressionless.  
  
Enma's eyebrows shot up. "And pray, can you tell me what that important matter is?" he asked with gritted teeth. The ground began to tremble a bit. He was still very short-tempered, as all the Reikai knew, and he found the son, with his snooty attitude, more irritating than his father.  
  
"Why, the wedding of course, great Enma Daioh-sama. Kotennyo-hime's father prevailed on us to ask when you wanted the joining ceremonies to be," the young man replied.  
  
"What wedding?" a new voice said suddenly, making them turn to the doorway. There stood Prince Koenma in his regal best, with his hair smoothed back from his eyes. He bowed urbanely, betraying none of his curiosity. "Good afternoon, father. You wanted to see me?"  
  
"Yes, my son. It seems Botan--your ferrygirl, I mean, did a good job of finding you. I expected you to come a bit later," Enma commented  
  
"Ah, prince Koenma Daioh-sama!" the old man exclaimed suddenly, coming up and bowing low before him. His mousy frame was twitching nervously. "We are very glad to finally meet you at last; very, very glad!"  
  
"As I am pleased to see you," he answered gravely, inclining his head.  
  
" I called you at the behest of the lords of Linae. They have some something to say from the Baron Ito," Enma continued, barely concealing his pride for his son, who had apparently learned the courtesies well.  
  
"Ah, yes," Koenma nodded. "So tell me good sir, how is the harvest this season?" he asked, having read how fond the Linaeans were of formality and of talking about anything remotely connected to farming, the primary source of revenue in their extremely prosperous region. .  
  
"It goes well, thank you, Your Majesty," he replied, eyes brightening. "The peasants are sometimes too contentious, I admit, but my son here had assisted the baron and actually, our profits are-"  
  
"Er, let me make the customary introductions first, oh great Prince. We would not want to bore you with such trivial matters," his son cut in quite abruptly, Enma suspected because the old retainer was about to reveal how much greater their profits were than what their agency reported. This is my father, baron Rezo of the Houji province, and I am Yamada, his son. It is a pleasure to meet you" If possible, the young man's eyes became colder as he bowed to the prince.  
  
"You were starting to get to the point, I believe," the emperor interrupted, a bit amused. He frowned and added, "What about the wedding you were talking of that concerns my son's coronation?"  
  
"Why, your Highnesses" the young man turned to the towering emperor after bowing to Koenma, " It is the wedding between Kotennyo-hime and our future emperor."  
  
"What??!!" exclaimed both the emperor and his son. A tremor shook the ground. "I'm in no mood to entertain jokes here," Enma growled. Koenma was staring at him in open horror. Had his father promised him to somebody when he was a baby? Dimwitted nobles were known to do that before, with less than satisfactory consequences. Didn't the great Enma Daioh know that?  
  
The young man sighed, running a hand over his dark hair. He was coming to the hard part. "Here, highness, " he replied, holding a sealed envelope to the prince, who broke the seal and began to read its contents.  
  
". The late Gendo, your majesty's father and Baron Faust's late father had been great friends before, your majesty," he started to explain as Enma nodded. A scowl came to his face as he remembered. Gendo had been weaker than most emperors, he knew, and he was a bit ashamed of calling him father. "Years ago, they were such good friends that they made a binding contract-what the prince here is reading-to the effect that the next heirs of the Ito and Daioh families are engaged to be married to each other. That means Koenma-sama, and Kotennyo-hime," he finished. There was a strange, bitter note to his voice.  
  
Enma brooded for a moment before turning to his visibly paling son. "Is everything in order?" he asked coldly.  
  
"Y-yes, father. It has the personal seal of grandfather," Koenma replied.  
  
"Moreover-" Yamada's father began as he signaled his servant oni to come forward. He was holding a rectangular object draped in blue velvet. ".We carry with us a bauble from the late emperor to prove his regard." He drew back the velvet to uncover a glass-encased velvet pillow." Perhaps you might remember this." Koenma gasped as he saw what was revealed. "Hajime the great's demon necklace!" he exclaimed, recognizing the object from a picture. "I thought it was destroyed years ago!"  
  
The ground lurched as Enma howled angrily. "We've been searching for that since my father's death! We knew nothing with that kind of power could be destroyed," he growled, "and you tell me he just left it with your family?" His father had to be insane, he figured, to do such an abominable thing. It is one of the most valuable treasures of the realm, for goodness' sake!  
  
"Yes, your Highness," Yamada assented gravely. Koenma, meanwhile, snatched the case. He frowned, recognizing something familiar in the power radiating from the necklace. "It's still okay," he replied to his father's questioning look. "It ought to be," Yamada said wryly. Many had died who wanted to possess it in our land. We are glad to be returning it to you now."  
  
"Tell me, why didn't your family tell us about this earlier, and about my father's arrangement with your uncle?" Enma demanded of the old man.  
  
"It was not our decision to make, your majesty," he answered. " My uncle Yoji made us all take solemn oaths not to tell anybody. After your father died, Enma-sama, our family faced constant danger." The king nodded knowingly. The Ito family had made many enemies, most of them powerful ones, in his father's reign, as favorites are wont to do when they're in power. " Mayhap it was because of this that my uncle did deem it appropriate to hide Kotennyo's betrothal to the prince," he continued. "He knew that the heirs of Linae would've be in too much danger if word got out of this sooner."  
  
Koenma found himself agreeing with the baron.. He met Kotennyo when he was little, even had a passing crush on her that jeopardized his life, thanks to Koashura, his childhood friend/enemy who had had a crush on the selfsame lady and who still has an unfortunate tendency to hold grudges. Remembering how she was, he then knew that the baron was right. She was your typical little rich girl-prim, protected and too weak to lift a finger. Of course, there are bodyguards to be had, but you could never be too sure of getting good ones, especially since the bickering nobles did not really know which of them had contacts with powerful beings in the Meikai.  
  
"And of course, we had to keep the necklace secret, both as proof and to hide the arrangement," Yamada finished.  
  
"All right," Enma admitted grudgingly. "Your reasoning seems sound, but you must return the necklace to the royal treasury."  
  
" Of course, great Enma.But when will the joining ceremonies occur?"  
  
"I haven't exactly agreed to that yet, did I?" he answered, more than a little irritated at the young-looking spirit's gall. "You aren't really thinking of agreeing, father?!" Koenma asked in a horrified voice. He didn't even know what the girl looked like anymore!  
  
"Perhaps not, good rulers," Yamada interjected, "But forgive me for saying a compact is a compact after all. And may I present the most beautiful spirit in Linae-and I daresay Reikai.Kotennyo-hime!" With that, he brought out a small remote from his pocket and pushed a button. There was a strange sadness on his face that quickly passed. A hologram of the princess appeared on the farthest wall. Both the ruler of Reikai and his son struggled to hide their amazement  
  
The princess was very cute and girlish, with curly pink hair cut short to frame her oval face and very black eyes. Though a bit short, her curvy figure was attractive. Her dress was form-fitting with a low front and she had on plenty of jewelry. She waved and giggled before the hologram faded.  
  
Enma cleared his throat. "She is-uh, very attractive." His son nodded in agreement, still a bit stunned at how Kotennyo looked like.  
  
"..But we'll have to discuss this further," the king added. "For now, I'll accept that my son has a fiancée. Let's just see after the coronation what is to be done."  
  
Yamada and his father bowed. "As you wish, your majesty," they said, and tactfully excused themselves, leaving the prince and his sire alone. Before he went, however, Yamada gave the remote to the prince, whispering, "I'll trust you to take care of this, Koenma-sama."  
  
"Well, son, I guess you're engaged, " Enma said simply.  
  
"Yes, father..but," the young prince left his statement unfinished. Enma could see that his son was still unsure of, and possibly even opposed to being married, even when they had both seen how beautiful his bride-to-be was. He moved to stare out the balcony again, not showing how much he approved of his son's hesitation, which shows that Koenma didn't go for looks alone.  
  
"You had best be going now. " added lightly and looked at him from the corner of his eye. "What will you do now, by the way?"  
  
" I'm going to the Ningenkai with Botan-chan, father!" His eyes shone momentarily, and his face took on a boyish, delighted look. But a cloud seemed to pass over him, and the worry and a little sadness returned to his face.  
  
"Ah, yes," the king said, with an odd glimmer of triumph in his eyes as he gazed at his son. "You can go with her, since I told you I have nothing else for you to do now." He paused for a while, then continued, ". tell me, Koenma, my son, if I tell you to do something against your better judgement, not that I will, mind you, will you still obey, no matter what I threaten to do?" His face was impassive and expressionless but for his eyes, which shone sternly down at his son.  
  
Koenma looked up at him, proud and determined, and answered firmly, "No, father. I would not. Not ever." He refused to bring up the case of Yuusuke, his former Tantei, or the urge to say that yes, he, the great Enma Daioh's son, can be right, even when his decision seems to be at odds with his father's.  
  
"Very well.You may go now," Enma said abruptly, turning away again.  
  
"Yes father. Be well," Koenma replied, leaving with some relief. He still couldn't forget the spankings his sire gave him. Enma really had a firm hand. He missed again the obvious pride that came to his father's features before it returned to its usual calm.  
  
It was quite a while afterwards. It was early evening, and the Reikai sun was making its slow journey down to the nether regions, heralding the coming of night with its colorful farewell.  
  
Enma was again impassively staring from his balcony. He gave a cursory glance to his throne room and returned to perusing the skies.  
  
" I know you're there," he suddenly said in a quiet voice to the empty- looking room.  
  
A cloaked individual appeared out of the shadows cast by the dying sun. "Well met, noble king of the dead," it said in a low female voice.  
  
"Well met indeed, guardian," he answered. "You still would not let me see your face, I see."  
  
The figure seemed to shrug. "One sees no reason to. You're still as sharp as ever."  
  
"Thank you. " He paused. "So, what do you think of her?" He turned and focused his eyes on her shadowy face.  
  
A sniff of derision came from underneath the hood. "Poor competition."  
  
His eyebrows shot up, knowing she couldn't miss his questioning look. "You still haven't seen what she looks like, yet you would dismiss so easily one of the most, if not the most beautiful lady in Reikai. What commendable faith you have!"  
  
"No, tis not simply faith," she stubbornly said, shaking her head underneath the cloak. Her voice was low and silky, but had the quality of steel. "She came from a royal line, famed for perfection both of form and nature. Indeed, it was her ancestors who inspired the Ningens into dreaming up the so-called "angels." She would not disappoint-what you see now is only the shadow of what she really is."  
  
"We'll see," was all the king said in reply.  
  
"Besides," the visitor continued, " Even I can see that so-called princess is stupid, and because of her, the holy demon's spirit does not yet know its mistress."  
  
"..And are you planning to acquaint them to each other?"  
  
"Of course." The lady seemed almost to float as she elegantly went to stand beside Enma." Don't be alarmed when things start to happen. These things must be for everything to be made right." She paused. "I can trust you to keep this to yourself, can I? You're the only one we dare trust, you understand, apart from the first of the Daiohs."  
  
Enma smiled. " I'm touched," he said wryly, "maybe more so because you really Have to trust me, since certain decisions of mine can and will affect what happens to your mission.Don't worry, though. Your secret's safe with me." He paused, then asked, "Would you care to watch the sunset with me?"  
  
He could sense something familiar with her that put him at ease, though still he did not have any idea who she was, after thousands of years of trying to find out. . "Yes, thank you, I believe I would like to," she replied softly. And they stood there side-by-side, watching the fiery sun descend in a riot of colors.  
A/N, you dears know who you are: You're right, there aren't many new Koenma and Botan fics anymore, though we have to thank the dear keepers of the sites dedicated to the pair (which I could name but won't, coz I haven't asked permission to plug them here) for archiving the ones we can read. Thanks, guys!  
  
By the way, sorry for not hurrying in the Ko/Bo parts, let's just see what'll happen, k?  
  
I agree:  
  
Koenma and Botan are perfect! They rule!! 


End file.
